Avoid Hotspots

Fishery Type

Gillnets, Longline, Purse Seine, Trawls

Ocean Region

Eastern Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Northern Atlantic Ocean, Northern Pacific Ocean, Southern Atlantic Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean

Target Species

American Lobster, Dungeness Crab, Mahi, Swordfish, Tuna

Bycatch Species

Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, Seabirds, Sharks and Rays

Hotspots are areas that have a higher abundance of bycatch taxa where it is more likely to have high bycatch rates if fishing is conducted. It is a best practice to avoid setting fishing gear in these locations. To avoid high bycatch rates, it is recommended to move to a different fishing ground until the non-target species have moved out which could be a random movement or a seasonal migration. There are basic scientific principles for determining what represents a hotspot e.g taking the top 5% or 10% of the density distribution, applicable to all ETP taxa. Agreed and public definitions of species-specific hotspots applicable to the whole fleet/FIP are required.